Westfield, the international shopping center chain, has struck a new partnership with American football’s elite NFL covering the Australian market, ahead of the league’s first game in the country this year.
Westfield operates 37 shopping centers around Australia, including seven in the state of Victoria, where the match will take place, alongside a further five locations in New Zealand.
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As the league’s official shopping destination partner in Australia and New Zealand, Westfield will host NFL-themed physical activations at its locations in the two markets, including player meet-and-greets, giveaways, and fan engagement activities.
Naturally, this partnership is centered around the NFL’s first match in Australia which will be staged at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on September 11, with the San Francisco 49ers taking on the Los Angeles Rams.
That regular season game, and many others, will be broadcast on free-to-air television by Seven Network, the Australian commercial network, which last month renewed and expanded its widespread coverage deal with the league.
Other prominent sponsors of the NFL in Australia ahead of the international fixture include wine brand Y Series, airline flag carrier Qantas, the Visit California tourism board, and consumer goods giant Unilever’s condiments brand Hellmann’s.
The Melbourne game comes as the NFL steadily increases its footprint in the region, having launched an APAC academy and flag football initiatives as the sport prepares for its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
Australia will be the eighth international territory the NFL has played in, with the league having visited the UK (London), Mexico City, Germany (Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Ireland (Dublin), Toronto (Canada), and Spain (Madrid).
For the 2026 campaign, a record nine international games will be played, including three games in London, and single fixtures in Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, Munich, Paris, and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been public with his ambition to bring the NFL to as many different territories as possible and has found success in partnership with local sports leagues in these territories, a strategy the league may continue in Australia, thanks to the popularity of rugby in the market.
The NFL has played in Australia once before, a 1999 exhibition game titled the American Bowl in Sydney between the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers.
